Carolina Music Festivals is a comprehensive calendar and guide to multi-act, daylong or multiple-day music shows in North Carolina.
Dates and other details may be estimated based on last year's festival until this year's plans are confirmed by festival organizers.
July 30 - August 1 Mountain Dance and Folk Festival - Asheville
Since 1928, the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival has presented a wide repertoire from old-timers as well as the newest generation of mountain musicians, dancers and cloggers whose performances echo centuries of Scottish, English, Irish, Cherokee and African heritage. On Saturday afternoon, some 50 young musicians and dancers take part in a "Youth Talent Celebration" for ages 5 to 18. The festival also designates "Legacy Performers" who have made significant contributions to the region's musical heritage over several decades. Stony Creek Boys is the house band. The festival has changed locations repeatedly in the past few years, and in 2025, moved to the auditorium at Asheville High School.
Artists
Festival site: Asheville High School
Nightly shows 7 p.m.; Youth Talent Celebration 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Three-day pass: $55.
July 31 - August 1 Fly Around Music and Arts Festival - Lansing
Fly Around debuted in 2025 as a celebration of Appalachia's rich musical traditions and beauty, and to raise money for Ashe County's continued recovery from Hurricane Helene. Shows are presented at sites within walking distance of each other in downtown Lansing on Friday and Saturday, with tickets for Friday evening's indoor show limited because of the venue's capacity. Saturday's shows are indoors and outdoors. Expect several vendors and local nonprofit groups to be on hand, as well.
Artists
Festival site: Orchard Creek General Store (Friday), Lost Province Center for Cultural Arts (Saturday)
7 to 10 p.m. Friday, doors open at 6 p.m.; music starts 2 p.m. Saturday, gate opens at 1 p.m.
Friday: $14.21 in advance (including service fee), $22.69 at door.
Parking free on Friday, $10 or $5 for vehicles with four or more people on Saturday.
Through August 2 Brevard Summer Institute & Festival - Brevard
Through August 9 Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival - Highlands and Cashiers
August 6 - 9 AVL Sounds Fest - Asheville
Asheville-based Wicked Weed Brewing and Worthwhile Sounds present a multi-genre lineup of local, regional and national talent at area concert halls, clubs and outdoor venues. The 2023 and 2024 AVLfest events featured 300+ shows, but the 2025 festival was not held due to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The festival takes on a new name for 2026 as one of its co-founders departs to establish his own production company and the inaugural Asheville Busker Fest, which was held in May.
Artists
Festival site: 20+ Asheville venues
Various show times.
Weekend pass: $135.
August 13 - 15 N.C. State Bluegrass Festival - Cherokee
This campground-based festival is under a pavilion and tents (bring your own chair). Bands typically play afternoon and evening sets. There will also be food trucks and craft vendors. For early arrivers, there's a covered dish supper Wednesday night. The festival in its 51st year in 2026. In 2025, it moved to Cherokee from its usual venue in Marion due to damage from Hurricane Helene.
Artists
Festival site: Happy Holiday RV Village
Noon to 9:30 p.m.
Three-day pass: reserved seats $120, $130 at gate; general admission $110, $120 at gate; ages 7 to 15, $50 with parent.
Campground stay during the festival requires a three-day ticket and an additional fee.
August 15 Next Door Music Festival - Oxford
Next Door Radio presents a small-town gathering with a half-dozen bands, craft vendors, beer vendors and food trucks. It is in its third year in 2026.
Artists
Festival site: Oxford Armory
11 a.m. to 5 p.m., after party 6 to 9 p.m.
Free admission.
August 20 - 22 The Big What? - Pittsboro
The Big Something hosts a weekend campout featuring music by local, regional and national touring acts on two stages, late-night silent discos and an artistic experience that includes "theme nights," for which decorations, costumes and self-expression are highly encouraged. The festival will also offer an art gallery, live painters, a flow performance and workshops, and food, drink (including beer, wine and cocktails) and arts and craft vendors. The Big What? is in its 12th year in 2026.
Artists
Festival site: Shakori Hills
Noon to 10 p.m. Thursday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.
Three-day pass: $207.49.
Tickets include tent camping and parking. Car camping $87.61, RV camping $184.62.
See our profile of the Shakori Hills festival held at this site.
August 21 - 22 NC Beach Blast Festival - Kings Mountain
The free beach music festival put on by the City of Kings Mountain presents several bands plus food, drink and merchandise vendors along with family games and contests. The festival is Saturday, but there's a kickoff concert on Friday. The event in its 27th year in 2026.
Artists
Festival site: Patriots Park
6 p.m. Friday, noon Saturday.
Free admission.
August 28 - 30 Boomtown Arts and Heritage FestAVL - Asheville
The festival debuted in 2024 as an eclectic mix of performances, walking tours and community-driven activities celebrating Asheville's status as a turn-of-the-century boomtown and a current hub of creativity and innovation. In 2025, free shows in Pack Square were followed by ticketed late-night shows at the Orange Peel Friday and Saturday. In addition to music, the festival presents exhibits, community vendors, kids' actvities, speakers, workshops and other various forms of programming focused on Asheville's "architectural marvels, pioneering figures and stories of resilience."
Artists
Festival site: Pack Square Park, The Orange Peel
3 to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, TBA Sunday.
Admission to Pack Square and Family Stage shows is free with RSVP at website. Late-night shows at the Orange Peel are ticketed events.
August 29 End of Summer Block Party - Raleigh
The Oak City Music Collective, which creates events to represent the immense diversity in our communities, presents a day of music by national and regional artists from multiple genres and countries on two stages and DJs on a third stage. There are also vendor markets, food trucks, alcoholic beverages, family activities, yoga, aerobics, and more. The festival is in its second year in 2026.
Artists
Festival site: Dorethea Dix Park - Gipson Play Plaza
1 to 11 p.m.
Free admission.
August 29 Raleigh Wood Festival - Raleigh
The festival run by Raleigh artist LesTheGenius mostly presents artists who have come out of the North Carolina music scene to reach "global acclaim." There will also be artist interviews and Q&As, a curated vendor market, food trucks, carnival-style games, interactive arts and crafts and photo booths. The festival is in its third year in 2026.
Artists
Festival site: Private Lot on Poole Road
1 to 11 p.m.
General admission: Early bird $88.99, Tier 1 $110.99.
General parking and shuttle (Walnut Creek Athletic Complex, 1201 Sunnybrook Road): $20.
TBA. 2025 lineup included Appalachian Consort, Buncombe Turnpike, Sheila Kay Adams/Donna Ray Norton, Laura Boosinger and about 25 more, plus dance teams.
Nightly: $20 advance, $25 at door.
Students: $5 advance, $10 at door.
Younger than 12: $5.
Groups of 10 or more: $15 per person.
Youth Talent Celebration: free admission.
TBA. 2025 lineup included Joan Shelley w/ Nathan Salsburg, Grant/McGuire/Flaherty, Magic Tuber Stringband and eight more.
Saturday: $74.63 in advance (including service fee), $91.59 at gate.
Younger than 12 free with paying adult.
(See the June calendar)
(See the July calendar)
TBA. 2024 lineup included Papadosio, Beachwood Sparks, Town Mountain, Blitzen Trapper, SG Goodman and about 230 more.
VIP pass (special viewing areas at select venues, catering, afterparties, half off souvenirs): $250.
TBA. 2025 lineup included The Malpass Brothers, Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, Grascals and 11 more.
Daily: general admission $50, $55 at gate; ages 7 to 15 $20.
Younger than 8 free with an adult.
TBA. 2025 lineup included Noise Beneath the Floor, Entrez Vous, Late Bloomer and three more.
TBA. 2025 lineup included Big Something, Andy Frasco and the U.N., Sunsquabi, Susto and 15 more.
Two-day pass (Friday-Saturday): $173.23.
Daily: $138.98.
VIP (reserved prime location tent camping, reserved viewing area at main stage, private bathrooms, hot meal each night, refreshments during the day, download of each Big Something set): $435.84.
Two-day VIP: $367.34.
Supreme VIP (VIP perks above, exclusive Saturday afternoon acoustic Big Something performance, signed screenprint Big What? poster, signed Big Something setlist from all three nights): $664.19.
Two-day supreme VIP: $367.34.
Friday: Too Much Sylvia.
Saturday: TBA.
TBA. 2025 lineup included Papadosio, Asheville Symphony, Toubab Krewe, Caitlin Krisko and The Broadcast and 21 more, plus “special collab sets.”
TBA. 2025 lineup included Orquesta K'Che, Dub Addis, La Nueva 22, 13 more and five DJs.
TBA. 2025 lineup included Jordan Ward, Weston Estate, Marco Luka, LesTheGenius, DJ Ricky Ricardo and 20 more.
VIP (express check in, special access to food trucks, bar, bathrooms; free T-shirt): Early bird $176.99, Tier 1 $220.99.
VIP parking and shuttle (Arrow Christian Pre-School, 4109 Old Poole Road; walking distance): $45.
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